Regions Hospital will test drug on brain injuries

A St. Paul hospital is among several around the country that will test a medication that controls bleeding to see if it works on brain injuries.

Federally approved tranexamic acid is already being used by the U.S. military to treat battlefield injuries. Now Regions Hospital will see if it can also stop bleeding in the brain. Regions receives about 200 patients a year suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

Dr. Aaron Burnett says the only way to stop bleeding in the brain is to operate on the patient, remove part of the skull and clamp the bleeder. Burnett says he's hopeful the medication will give paramedics a chance to stop the bleeding.

WCCO-TV (http://cbsloc.al/1mftFl8 ) reports Regions is the only hospital in Minnesota participating in the study. Data from 60 Regions patients will be collected over a 14-month period beginning in September.